A. 
All subdivisions shall be designed and improvements made by the developer consistent with the requirements of Article IV.
B. 
In addition, design and construction shall accomplish the following:
(1) 
Reduce, to the extent reasonably possible:
(a) 
Volume of cut and fill;
(b) 
Area over which existing vegetation will be disturbed, especially if within 200 feet of a river, pond or stream or having a slope of more than 15%;
(c) 
Number of mature trees removed;
(d) 
Extent of waterways altered or relocated;
(e) 
Erosion and siltation;
(f) 
Flood damage;
(g) 
Number of driveways exiting onto existing streets or ways rather than onto newly built or proposed subdivision roadways;
(h) 
Disturbance of important wildlife habitats, outstanding botanical features, and scenic or historic environs; and
(i) 
Impact on water and sewer facility's ability to service other development in the City.
(2) 
Increase, to the extent reasonably possible:
(a) 
Vehicular use of collector streets to void traffic on streets providing house frontages;
(b) 
Legal and physical protection of views from public ways;
(c) 
Street layout facilitating south orientation of houses; and
(d) 
Use of curvilinear street patterns.
A. 
Location.
(1) 
All streets in the subdivision shall be designed so that, in the opinion of the Planning Board, they will provide safe vehicular travel and an attractive street layout in order to obtain the maximum safety and amenity for future residents of the subdivision, and they shall be in accord with the Rules and Regulations of the Commissioner of Public Works.
(2) 
The proposed streets shall conform, so far as practicable, to any existing plans of the Planning Board and, when adopted by the Planning Board, to the Master or Study Plan or parts thereof adopted.
(3) 
Provision satisfactory to the Planning Board shall be made for the proper projection of streets or for access to adjoining property which is not yet subdivided.
(4) 
Reserve strips prohibiting access to streets or adjoining property shall not be permitted, except where, in the opinion of the Planning Board, such strips shall be in the public interest.
B. 
Alignment.
(1) 
Street jogs with center-line offsets of less than 150 feet shall be avoided whenever practicable.
(2) 
The minimum center-line radii of curved streets shall be as follows:
(a) 
Lanes: 125 feet.
(b) 
Other secondary streets: 150 feet.
(c) 
Major streets: 350 feet.
(3) 
A center-line tangent section at least 150 feet in length shall separate all reverse curves on major streets and any reverse curves on secondary streets where the sum of their center-line radii is less than 500 feet.
(4) 
Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect as nearly as possible at right angles. No street shall intersect any other street at less than 60°.
(5) 
Property lines at street intersections shall have a radius equal to 30 feet at intersections involving a major street and 25 feet at other intersections.
(6) 
Streets shall be laid out so as to intersect at intervals which will permit block size to be in a range of 600 feet to 1,200 feet in length, unless otherwise specified by the Planning Board. In lieu of actual construction of a cross street, in special instances the Planning Board may approve an easement for a future street.
C. 
Width.
(1) 
The minimum width of rights-of-way shall be as follows:
(a) 
Secondary streets: 50 feet.
(b) 
Major streets and such secondary streets which in the judgement of the Planning Board may in the future be changed in character to become a major street: 60 feet.
(2) 
When a secondary street will provide the only access for lots fronting on a length in excess of 500 feet or where on a major street potential volume is such to warrant it, the Planning Board may require a greater right-of-way than that specified above and may require construction of a divided roadway.
D. 
Grade.
(1) 
The center-line gradient for any street shall not be less than 1%.
(2) 
The maximum center-line grade for streets shall be as follows:
(a) 
Lane: 10%.
(b) 
Other secondary street: 8%.
(c) 
Major street: 5%.
(3) 
Where changes in grade exceed 1%, reasonable vertical curves, as required by the Commissioner of Public Works, will be provided, and where a grade is 5% or greater within 150 feet of the intersection of street right-of-way lines, there shall be provided a levelling area of at least 75 feet with a maximum grade of 3%. The horizontal tangent distance between any two reverse vertical curves shall be a minimum of 100 feet.
(4) 
Vertical curves shall be a minimum of 100 feet in horizontal length and provide for a minimum sight distance of 200 feet.
E. 
Dead-end streets.
(1) 
Dead-end streets shall not be longer than 500 feet unless provided with a divided roadway [see Subsection C(2) above] or unless, in the opinion of the Planning Board, such a greater length is necessitated by topography or other local conditions.
(2) 
Dead-end streets shall be provided at the closed end with a turnaround having a property line diameter of 120 feet for a major street and 100 feet for a secondary street, unless otherwise specified by the Planning Board.
(3) 
The slope of the road shall not exceed 3% beyond a point 75 feet before the radius point of the turnaround area.
A. 
Driveways shall be minimum of 10 feet and a maximum of 24 feet in width and have a curb return at the edge of travelled way of three-foot radius.
B. 
Driveways to service the individual building lots shall comply with the applicable provisions of the City Code.
C. 
Wheelchair ramps shall be provided as shown in Appendix I of this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix I is on file in the office of the City Clerk.
A. 
Easements for utilities carrying underground wires, where required, or for utilities across lots or centered on rear or side lot lines shall be provided where necessary and shall be at least 30 feet wide.
B. 
Where a subdivision is traversed by a watercourse, drainageway, channel or stream, the Planning Board may require that there be provided a stormwater easement or drainage right-of-way of adequate width and proper side slope.
C. 
Access to park and conservation land owned by the City shall be provided, if required by the Planning Board, and shall be at least 40 feet wide.
D. 
Any and all easements to be accepted by the City shall be bounded at all P.C.s, P.T.s and angle points prior to acceptance by the City of Marlborough.
E. 
Whenever an easement line intersects a lot line or street layout line, distances shall be shown relative to lot corners or P.C.s and P.T.s.
A. 
Before approval of a plan, the Planning Board may also in proper cases require the plan to show a park or parks suitably located for playground or recreation purposes or for providing light and air. The park or parks shall not be unreasonable in area in relation to the land being subdivided and to the prospective uses of such land. Each area reserved for such purpose shall be of suitable area, dimensions, topography and natural character for the purposes of a park and/or playground. Each such area shall be so located as to serve adequately all parts of the subdivision as approved by the Planning Board. The Planning Board may require that the area or areas reserved shall be located and laid out so as to be used in conjunction with similar areas of adjoining subdivisions or of probable subdivisions. All areas to be reserved for park and/or playground purposes shall contain not less than one acre or shall be part of a similar area in an adjoining subdivision so that the total area is not less than one acre. Unless otherwise specifically approved by the Planning Board, the total amount of area to be reserved for park and/or playground purposes shall be no less than 10% of the gross area of this subdivision. Any land so reserved shall be graded to dispose properly of surface water and shall be left in condition for the purpose intended, as required by the Planning Board.
B. 
The Planning Board may, unless the applicant has not previously agreed to dedicate the park or parks to the City or other entity such as a homeowners' association, require by appropriate endorsement on the plan that no building shall be erected upon such park or parks without its approval until the expiration of a period of two years following the completion of the subdivision roadways and utilities, or until the occupancy of the subdivision shall have occurred in dwellings on at least 2/3 of the lots in the subdivision, whichever date occurs last. The applicant shall then promptly notify by mail the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Recreation Commission, Mayor and the occupants of all homes in the subdivision as follows:
"You are hereby notified that the site required to be set aside by the Planning Board as a park or recreation area in this subdivision is available for purchase by the City or others and, if not purchased within six months, must be released by the Planning Board for the developer's use for a new building on the site. You may contact the Planning Board on this matter for more information."
C. 
A plan of the entire subdivision showing the proposed location of the park shall be sent by the applicant with each notification.
Due regard shall be shown for all natural features, such as large trees, wooded areas, watercourses, scenic points, historic spots, and similar community assets, which, if preserved, will add attractiveness and value to the subdivision. Whenever feasible, shade trees 12 inches in diameter or larger shall not be removed.
Lots shall be prepared and graded in such a manner that development of one shall not cause detrimental drainage on another; if provision is necessary to carry drainage to or across a lot, an easement or drainage right-of-way of adequate width and proper side slope shall be provided. Storm drainage shall be designed in accord with specifications of the Commissioner of Public Works.
(Reserved)
Hydrants shall be provided every 500 running feet on one side of each street unless a greater distance is approved by the Commissioner of Public Works in writing. They shall be a style approved both by the Fire Chief, the Commissioner of Public Works and the American Insurance Association.
See cross sections in Appendix F.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Appendix F is on file in the office of the City Clerk.
Streetlighting shall be provided for each subdivision street and shall be such as to give the equivalent of not less than 4,000 lumens of light installed at intervals of 350 feet unless otherwise specified by the Planning Board.
A. 
Applicants may request that their land be developed under alternative standards. To qualify, the subdivision must be limited to no more than 2/3 the number of lots which could be created on the same parcel under the then-current zoning requirements to be assured through restrictions preventing subsequent redivision. The alternative standards may be as follows:
(1) 
Pavement width may be four feet narrower than otherwise required;
(2) 
Center-line radii may be 25 feet shorter than otherwise required;
(3) 
Street grades may be 1% steeper than otherwise required;
(4) 
A sloping "Cape Cod berm" of four inches by 12 inches may be used in lieu of curbing; and
(5) 
Sidewalks may be required only if they can be connected with existing sidewalks on streets by which the subdivision is reached.
B. 
The Planning Board may approve development under alternative standards in cases where, in the opinion of the Planning Board, the density reduction provides substantial benefit to City objectives, and the use of alternative standards is consistent with sound planning and engineering practice.